Yemen Monitor / Marib / Exclusive:
The Danish shipping giant Maersk successfully navigated one of its vessels through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal to its destination on Friday, marking its first such operation since halting transits through this maritime route two years ago due to Houthi attacks.
Shipping reports and vessel tracking data confirmed that the Maersk Sembawang completed its passage through the Red Sea, transiting Bab el-Mandeb Strait—a waterway that has been a theatre of military operations and repeated targeting since late 2023.
This voyage is a vital indicator of the potential for major global shipping firms to resume their traditional routes via the Suez Canal.
Since December 2023, Maersk and other international companies had diverted their vessels around the Cape of Good Hope in Africa. This rerouting caused shipping costs to rise and extended voyage times by approximately two weeks. The return reflects a new risk assessment for the region’s security situation, despite ongoing political and military tensions.
Despite the successful transit, the company has not yet officially announced a full resumption of all voyages through this route, as concerns remain over Houthi missile and drone threats. Economic and military circles are closely monitoring this step to determine whether it marks the beginning of a collective return for shipping companies or if it remains an exceptional case linked to specific security arrangements.
Maersk’s return to operations in the Red Sea comes two years after Houthi attacks—launched under the banner of “supporting Gaza”—began. These attacks led to an unprecedented militarization of the international waterway with the presence of the US-led international coalition (Operation Prosperity Guardian) and the European mission (ASPIDES). Strategically, Maersk’s transit tests the ability of these international coalitions to secure shipping. It also puts pressure on the Houthi group, which has used the navigation card as a tool of political and regional pressure throughout this period.
